The closer you go to a subject the more tension the picture will hold. A shot of an eye will be more intense than a full body, for example. I would say this always applies.

You have to ask yourself if the tension or the desolate landscape is the most important. If it is the landscape, you have to solve it some other way, because right now the whole picture is very boring to look at. Or you could try to work a desolate landscape into a close shot.

The two broad ones in the middle could surely display a desolate landscape as well. Just don't add too much details to the landscape, or it will take the focus from the characters (which kinda is the case in your current picture).

To me the characters are refined while everything else is loose. Makes them look like they are stuck in the picture. Perhaps refine the rocks under them at least and a bit of the water around them. Less detail on the outer part of the image drags your eye to the center.

Which character is our attention supposed to be on?

I would crop the image to bring more focus on the characters.

Changing the viewing angle of the picture all together to make it more dynamic like what Ikinnebrand suggested is the best option.

@ @ Yeah guys, I see it now -- I made a mistake in terms of explaining visually the purpose of this painting. It was supposed to be just a landscape primarily, then I thought it was too boring, so I added the two characters.

But ya -- as soon as you add characters, the piece more or less becomes a story about them and then the "landscape" serves as an enhancer.

As I do want to include couple of paintings in my portfolio /w a landscape I'll go ahead /w this.

Listening to lkinnebrand I did couple of thumbnails -- check em' out please, and let me know w/ what I should go and what I should change.

Well I think if you cropped it a bit, sharpened up that dramatic lighting and covered the area on the right back with some rolling mist, it might work a lot better. What Pencil-Chewer said - about them looking stuck there. Choose your focus first and then make the rest of the picture frame that.

Haven't work on the environmental piece yet -- been working on something else.

Medieval Spawn

Decided to dedicate my summer to learning ZBrush, and this is what turned out in the end.
I would like to know some tips/tricks in composition and rendering in Zbrush/ PS. Applicable to this piece.
Likewise, general critiques are very welcome -- something that I can improve on for later time.
I want to add this one to my portfolio, so I'll most likely correct it depending on your C&Cs
Also, chk out my blog for wips, a turntable and alts